On Tuesday, we learned that the Kansas City Chiefs were adding to the depth of the linebacker position with the addition of rookie Aiden Fisher to the practice squad. However, he wasn’t the only reserve linebacker entering the mix at Chiefs practice.
Second-year linebacker
Cooper McDonald has been designated to return to practice after spending Weeks 2-6 on the Reserve/Injured list; the team will still need to activate him to the 53-man roster before he can return to the game field and has a 21-day window to do so.
The Chiefs waived backup linebacker Cam Jones, who has been on and off the team in recent seasons, on Tuesday. The team also terminated the practice-squad contract of running back Nate Carter.
McDonald played only two snaps against the Denver Broncos in Week 1 — both on special teams — but he recorded one tackle in his short time on the field this season.
Last year, after making the team as a rookie minicamp tryout from TCU, McDonald played the third-most special-teams snaps on the Chiefs. Over the final two games of the season, he saw more defensive snaps and totaled 10 tackles (1 for loss) over 47 snaps in Weeks 17 and 18. He made his first career start in the season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Heading into this season, after 25 tackles as a rookie, McDonald was projected as the starting SAM linebacker in the base defense, a role that former Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal excelled in.
It remains to be seen whether the 6-foot-3-inch, 240-pound linebacker will step back into that role in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s system, taking the spot back from veteran Jack Cochrane, but Chiefs Kingdom can expect No. 44 to fly around the field on special teams whenever he is ready to play.
